Dirty Pellets

C

cris

Guest
Shooting benchrest with an air rifle is a challenge. Reading Harry's pellet sorting process on another forum was interesting. Since I have been trying CPH pellets, I go through a cleaning process first, using an aggressive cleaner, rinsing in water and drying on paper towels, outside on a nice day. I thought they were squeaky clean. I then weight sort into fairly small incremental groups.

Guess again on the squeaky clean statement. One of the steps Harry uses is to inspect the skirt area for imperfections. So using a 10X loupe, I looked at the skirts and the cavity in the skirt area.

First, the cavity in many pellets looked dirty, so a cotton swab lightly twisted in the cavity and can you say filthy. In many pellets, the cotton swab pulled out pieces and silvers of what I can only assume is lead, that I could not detect using the loupe alone.

Second, about 1/2 of these newly cleaned pellets were a new weight that would put them in a different group.

Some barrels like CPH pellets but I never would have guessed this dirty.

Now, does all this OCD cleaning make a difference. Hard to tell so far. Groups do measure more round now, where before I have a tad more horizontal than I would like and 1 in 12-15 pellets is a rouge that goes off for reasons I have not figured out. For what it's worth.
 
I have heard of some using ultra sonic units for the washing process. Statements to the effect of your discovery is the reason for doing so.
How well it works on the cavity area I do not know but the gentle agitation has to be a plus.
Try some of the JSB brand they work well for me.
 
Thanks for the idea on the ultrasonic cleaner. Lead is very soft, would have to find a unit above 50khz and with limited power. I have witnessed what a quality machine is capable of when items are left in too long.

The JSBs are not an option at this point. The ones I have float in the leade of this barrel. Maybe when JSB brings in new lots from different dies this year.
 
I believe these are 4.50. I will look for the 4.52 when JSB bring in this year's batch.
 
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